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Illusions of Fate

Kiersten White (Goodreads Author)

3.84 · Rating details · 7,414 ratings · 1,375 reviews

I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that h ...more

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Hardcover, 278 pages

Published September 9th 2014 by HarperTeen

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Average rating 3.84 ·

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· 7,414 ratings · 1,375 reviews

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Sep 24, 2014 Emily May rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, 2014

“I clench my jaw and narrow my eyes. I am no wilting Alben, I am a fierce and strong Melenese woman. And I am not the victim of any cruel jokes. Spirits below, I will make certain he knows I am not to be toyed with.”

3 1/2 stars. It was, in fact, a solid 4 stars leaning towards 4 1/2 before those last couple of hastily pulled together chapters in which the author rushed us towards a conclusion and narrowly avoided necessitating a sequel. Messy ending aside, I enjoyed this novel a lot ...more

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Feb 17, 2019 Helena Paris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magic, young-adult, hardback

Well, I’m two-for-two now, with Kiersten White’s books. In two weeks, I’ve given both of them five-star ratings. WHY ARE THEY SO GOOD?!!!

“He follows my eyes and curses, then slides his hands beneath my legs and back. "What are you doing?"
"Picking you up so we can run!"
"Don't be daft, my hand is broken, not my feet!"
"Right, that was stupid. Stupid.”

Essentially, this book has a historical setting in the country of Albion. Jessamin is a spunky history scholar of mixed-race (half-Alben and half-M ...more

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Apr 26, 2017 Aj the Ravenous Reader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, physically-owned-books, historical-fiction, unexpectedly-good, easy-read, young-adult

3.75 stars

A fast-paced, adorable historical fantasy for a change! Them fantasies are taking themselves too seriously, with too tedious backgrounds and intros, it even has to take one entire book for just these things. It’s high time one finally stands out for its brevity, strong and sure heroine, admirable non-condescending pretty hero, and a unique plot that involves magic, history, politics, several social issues, adorable romance, laudable friendships (involving not only humans but birds as ...more

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Jan 23, 2017 Simona B rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: in-english, 2000, fantastic-lit-and-co

“And how do you find the school?” he asks.
“Well, seeing as it’s always in the same location, it’s never very difficult to find.”

I know it's so dashingly idiotic it almost seems clever but ah, I burst out laughing like the fool that I am.

•One thing is for sure: Kiersten White knows how to write strong-willed, purposeful, sharp-tongued heroines (yes Lada my dear, I'm thinking of you. Always). Illusions of Fate features, Jessamin is a brilliant, hard-working young woman who's trying to build hers ...more

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Sep 25, 2014 Brittain *Needs a Nap and a Drink* rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, insta-love-is-insta-boring, love-triangle, what-did-i-just-read, strong-leading-lady, nope-nope-nope-nope, never-again, holy-plot-twists-batman

DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER!

BUYER BEWARE!

Big Edit: Basically, the author knew that she was copying and doesn't market it as a retelling, but as her own ideas. So not cool. Link to Interview. I can respect retellings but not when it isn't credited towards the original. I had to search to find if the author had had any experience with Howl's Moving Castle. This is a cheap rip off and unless the author somewhere wrote that these are not her own ideas, I'm not going to buy a single other book from h ...more

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Feb 20, 2015 Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle, read-in-2015, young-adult, mature-ya, paranormal, romance

3.5 stars

Well, whether or not you like this is going to depend on what you're expecting from it, I think.
To me, it was a lot like The Chaos of Stars, in that the magic stuff sort of took a backseat in the book.

In this, magic is something that only the nobility have running though their veins. Commoners don't have any idea that their countries' leaders are wizards.
Ok. Not wizards, Magic-users. Something.
Anyway, Jessamin comes from a made-up island called Melei, which I assumed was supposed to be ...more

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Sep 13, 2014 Melissa (Ever So Mela) rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-reads, ya-romance, strong-leading-lady, epic-fantasy, frilly-and-fluffy, too-cute-4-words

Buddy Read with the awesomeness that is Brit (Her review :D)

"I always draw FATE. But fate is a slippery thing, is it not?(...) Paths do not only go one way. We choose which direction to take. I refuse to believe that any outside forces can determine the course of my life."

I was drowning in a sea of bunnies, skipping across massive rainbows, riding on shiny unicorns, flying alongside fairies, and cuddled by clouds. Sheer bliss for this was pure and utter fluff.

⇉ And I ❤ every

...more

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Jun 19, 2015 Katerina Kondrenko rated it liked it

Shelves: era-historical-and-retro, romance-slow-burn, 06-out-of-10, plot-driven-by-action, characters-book-boyfriends, characters-cute-non-human-creatures, pages-201-300, characters-likable-minors, motives-british, pov-female-only

6.5 out of 10

Ревью в моем блоге/This review on my blog
Living A Thousand Lives (please use Chrome/Yandex browser or Android/IOS to see the page; otherwise, spoiler-tags I use to make my post compact may not work)

Short-Soundtrack:
Shiro Sagisu – Fate
Lunik – The Game
Jamie Cullum – If I Ruled The World

Genre: historical fantasy, YA
Stuff: magic, aristocrats, colonization
Fail: rushed pacing
WOW: nice characters
POV: 3rd-person, female
Love-Geometry: seeming

Quote-Core:

"Dear Mama, I am being s

...more

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Sep 25, 2014 Keertana rated it really liked it

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines, swoooon

If you, like me, dismissed Illusions of Fate because...well, Kiersten White, then please, please give this one a chance. White's debut, Paranormalcy, released when I was just thirteen and my young, teenage self fell head-over-heels for it. Admittedly, it didn't contain a love triangle and, at the time, that was enough to get me to enjoy it. Its sequels, though, quickly highlighted the fact that White's premises was not nearly as original as I thought and neither was it nearly so well-executed.

W If you, like me, dismissed Illusions of Fate because...well, Kiersten White, then please, please give this one a chance. White's debut, Paranormalcy, released when I was just thirteen and my young, teenage self fell head-over-heels for it. Admittedly, it didn't contain a love triangle and, at the time, that was enough to get me to enjoy it. Its sequels, though, quickly highlighted the fact that White's premises was not nearly as original as I thought and neither was it nearly so well-executed.

Which is why it is a pleasant surprise for me to admit that Illusions of Fate is well-written, romantic, and surprisingly unique. White's stand-alone follows Jessamin, a young woman who arrives in a foreign country, Albion, looking out-of-place with her dark skin and black hair and resolves to pursue her education. Jessamin's relatively poor, island home is home to many women who gave birth to half-Melei, half-Albion children and Jessamin, one of them, has grown up learning the customs, language, and traditions of her father's country. A father who has never acknowledged her and a country she feels no kinship with. Thus, when we meet her, Jessamin is working with a cousin of hers, using the wages she earns to pay for a small room and her admittance into school. She is contemplating the dreariness of Albion, a country whose temperament and society are similar to our own Victorian England, when she bumps into Finn.

From the moment she meets Finn, Jessamin is the victim of a series of odd events; ravens seem to follow her everywhere, her shadow seems unusually different, and her interactions from Finn are far from typical. As it turns out, Finn is a member of the ruling elite in Albion and, like them, he possesses magical ability. Only very few are strong enough to do much with their magic, though, and as one of two extremely strong magicians, it is up to Finn to stand against the Minister of Defense who seeks even more magic. Jessamin, who is the first weak link the Minister of Defense has found against Finn, is thrown into a political war for a country she has no ties with. All Jessamin wants is out but the truth is far more complicated than she could imagine.

I loved Jessamin. Although she knows only a few people in Albion, she constantly overcomes her fear and puts on a brave front, courageously charging into new situations boldly and refusing to feel ashamed of the heritage she wears proudly on her skin. Moreover, Jessamin is not the savior of this tale. If anything, Jessamin is the liability; the only one in this political game who possesses not a drop of magical blood at all. Yet, she never lets this prevent her from learning as much as she can, thus equipping herself in the only way she knows how.

Yet, what I admire most about Jessamin's character is the fact that she never succumbs to insta-love. Finn, who Jessamin meets purely through fate, bonds with Jessamin on a molecular, magical level. Even when Jessamin finds out about this, though, she never ceases to argue with Finn for her freedom or push him to accept that she will not be a mere spectator in the situation she finds herself in. It would be so easy for White to throw these two together at once but instead, Finn and Jessamin's relationship develops at the perfect pace and their interactions--their banter, their support of one another, their acceptance of the other's cultures--all made this novel stellar.

Finn, too, is utterly charming. Not only is he sweet and kind, but his power and protective tendencies never push him over to becoming an alpha male. What's more, the secrets that surround him never made him take on a "bad boy" appeal. Instead, I simply enjoyed peeling back the layers to his personality, swooning at his maturity and capable gaze. In addition to Finn, though, Jessamin's friend Eleanor, another member of the ruling elite but one whose magical powers are greatly diminished in comparison to Finn's, is one of the strongest secondary characters. Eleanor and Jessamin's close friendship is a delight to behold and, what's more, I truly rooted for Eleanor, a young woman who is often underestimated by her brother and uncle but truly possesses far more skills than others would imagine.

If there are any flaws to Illusions of Fate it is that it is too short. I found the ending to be jarring; vividly abrupt, though I didn't mind once I realized that other readers felt the same way and no, I was not missing the epilogue in my copy after all. I also wished for more world-building, more time spent uncovering Finn's past, more of Jessamin's family in Melei, etc. I was satisfied with what White gave us, and Illusions of Fate is crafted in such a way that the reader is never missing the information they need to understand this realm, but I still wanted more from a world like this, brimming with possibility.

Nevertheless, I cannot recommend this novel enough--particularly if you're in the mood for a story that will keep you flipping the pages into the wee hours of dawn--and, naively, I hope that White will write a companion novel and return to this world, somewhere down the line. ...more

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May 15, 2014 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-2014, best-of-2014, favorites, young-adult, role-models, reviewed-in-2014, edelweiss, surprise-surprise, harper-teen, magic

4.5 stars
By once again using her trademark sense of humor combined with superior writing, Kiersten White added another work to her list of literary successes. Illusions of Fate has just about everything I’ve learned to expect from this excellent author: interesting characters, beautiful writing, dry wit and an unforgettable ending.

White penned Illusions of Fate with her usual elegance. Her writing flows fluidly and effortlessly, which makes our journey through this story a light and pleasant ex 4.5 stars
By once again using her trademark sense of humor combined with superior writing, Kiersten White added another work to her list of literary successes. Illusions of Fate has just about everything I’ve learned to expect from this excellent author: interesting characters, beautiful writing, dry wit and an unforgettable ending.

White penned Illusions of Fate with her usual elegance. Her writing flows fluidly and effortlessly, which makes our journey through this story a light and pleasant experience. Her chapters blend smoothly together into an enchanting tale, filled with danger, romance and unusual magic.

While the magic part of this story could have been better developed, it was interesting enough to support the romance, which was definitely at the forefront. Illusions of Fate takes place in a fantasy setting, and as such, it left a lot to be desired, but considering that it’s a rather short standalone, we were given details aplenty for our needs. And the romance itself was very successful; there was undeniable strong chemistry between Jessamine and Finn which made their love seem very sincere, but also inevitable.

Although I liked her from the very first sentence, Jessamine’s path from cautious admiration to outright love made me appreciate her so much more. She didn’t fawn over Finn or indulge him in any way. If anything, she questioned his every action, determined to keep her integrity and independence, even when his involvement would have made her life so much easier.

For his part, Finn quickly learned to abandon his high-handed ways and allow Jessamine to make her own decisions. His youth was long lost due to the tragedy that struck his family so I never blamed him for his attempts of control and overprotectiveness, and neither did Jessamine. But not blaming him and allowing him to have his way are two different things entirely, and Jessamine fought all her battles, including those with Finn, admirably.

The villain was a bit too villainous and too vaguely motivated for my taste, but the rest of the secondary characters were simply fabulous, especially Jessa’s new best friend Eleanor. The little society girl had me laughing myself into stitches, but underneath the amusement was a deep and honest admiration for the clever and underappreciated girl.

All in all, Illusions of Fate was a splendid and highly entertaining read, which is exactly what I expected from Kiersten White.

...more

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Sep 10, 2014 Cynthia Hand rated it it was amazing

Shelves: recent-loves, ya-fiction, books-by-people-i-know

I hate it when people say a book is my best book, because I feel like that is subtly snubbing my other books, and . . .

I really like all of Kiersten White's other work, especially Paranormalcy and Mind Games, but . . .

I loved Illusions of Fate. I was completed absorbed in it. Jessamin is so completely interesting and kick-ass and Finn was so cool and sooooo hot, and the world and its magic was so finely built. And I wept over a bird. Which is unusual for me.

Her best book ever, in my opinion. :) ...more

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Sep 12, 2014 Neil (or bleed) rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

3.5

I almost on hold reading Illusions of Fate because I'm getting bored and the story doesn't make sense but fortunately I didn't give up on this one. The middle part until the end, I daresay, was great. It redeemed my dull moments reading this book and made me realized how satisfying and enthralling the story was.

The historical aspect and the characters were the reason why I continued reading this book at first but when the second part comes (which is the middle until end) there are several rea ...more

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Oct 18, 2014 Lexie rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I love Hitchcock's Birds. I love Poe's Raven. I also love dragons. Basically, my love of creepy flying animals knows no bounds. So Illusions of Fate, with its abundance of creepy flying animals was right up my alley. (The only thing that could have made it better was a dragon.)

Full review to come. ...more

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Mar 04, 2014 Nereyda (Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist) added it

Shelves: book-looks

Confession: I did want to read this book mostly because of the cover. Are you surprised? Of course not, the cover is gorgeous! Luckily, the summary also sounded pretty damn good which only made me want to read the book even more. Even though I’m a fan of historicals, the fantasy aspect of it had me intrigued. Illusions of Fate had me hooked from the first line:

Dear Mama, I am most certainly not dead.

Jessamin moved to Albion to study at a prestigious school, but being from Melei and with her Confession: I did want to read this book mostly because of the cover. Are you surprised? Of course not, the cover is gorgeous! Luckily, the summary also sounded pretty damn good which only made me want to read the book even more. Even though I’m a fan of historicals, the fantasy aspect of it had me intrigued. Illusions of Fate had me hooked from the first line:

Dear Mama, I am most certainly not dead.

Jessamin moved to Albion to study at a prestigious school, but being from Melei and with her exotic looks and dark skintone, she never feels like more than an outsider. But Jessamin is determined to keep attending school and she makes that her focus. She studies hard and she works hard at a local hotel. When she meets the mysterious Finn, who belongs to Albion nobility, he plans of coasting through life and finishing up her studies are disrupted. Along with meeting Finn, Jessamin discovers a new darker side of Albion: magic.

Turns out that the members of nobility have the ability to practice magic and Finn has dangerous enemies who are now after Jessamin as a way to get to Finn. But Jessamin isn’t going to let a little thing like the threat of danger keep her from finishing her studies. Before she knows it, Jessamin becomes in pawn in a dangerous game. Her life now involves balls, political disputes and a dangerous romance. In a way, I admired Jessamin for being determined and trying her best to not get involved in the feud. But other times, I just wanted to smack her! After being captured and hurt, she still refuses to accept help from Finn who can keep her safe. Still, girl had balls for refusing to be just another damsel in distress. There was this complete eye-rolling moment when she was gussiep up for a ball she was attending. Jessamin put on a beautiful dress and got her hair and (some) makeup done. There’s this moment where she sees her reflection and thinks it’s someone else. I don’t care how much makeup someone throws on me. I’m pretty positive I will recognize myself if I look in the mirror…

Beaming, I step through and am greeted on one side by a woman in scarlet.
She is beautiful, I think with a pang of jealousy, before realizing that I am greeting my reflection.

Even though Jessamin annoyed me sometimes, I still found myself liking her character. She was smart but she also had that witty and sarcastic attitude that made her pleasant to read. I loved the letters that she wrote to her mother. I liked Finn as a character but wanted to know more. He had that charming but mysterious personality that I really liked. I felt like we spent too little time with him, but the moments we did get from him were good. But my favorite character was Eleanor, a member of nobility who befriends Jessamin. She made the story so enjoyable and she was such a scene stealer! Eleanor loved gossip, she lived for gossip and she was a master at spreading it for her benefit. I loved how she wasn’t afraid or intimidated of Finn. I loved how she was such a great friend to Jessamin and how loyal she was to her. Another character that I really liked was Sir Bird. I always love when book covers have at least something to do with the story and was happy to find that this was one of them. No the bird doesn’t talk, but he will steal your heart all the same.

The plot was fast paced and interesting. I liked spin the author took on magic and the whole ‘shadow’ thing. At only pages, we don’t get as much depth as I would have liked. But I didn’t feel like the plot lacked in anything. My one complaint with the book was that I wish the romance was more developed. Finn is 19, I believe Jessamin is 18 or 19, but all we get is a few quick kisses. I would have liked to feel more of the romance aspect of it. It all just felt very PG, especially for their age. Illusions of Fate was a very fun and quick read that I enjoyed. It has a nice twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting. I recommend this if you’re in the mood for a light and fun story with just the perfect touch of magic.

3.5 out of 5 stars!

Check out my cover inspired look:

Illusion's of Fate by nereyda1003

***
Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed

Follow me at:
Bloglovin*Twitter*Tumblr*Pinterest*Polyvore

...more

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Aug 10, 2015 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-novels, books-that-will-stay-in-my-heart, wonderful-writing, fast-paced, fantasy, favorites, heart-warming, romance, books-i-could-repeatedly-read

4.5 stars

I still haven't found a 5 star worthy book for this year, but I thought this was really close; in fact, I might round up to 5 if I dwell on the positive aspects of this book. I'm gonna make a bold claim by saying that this is fantasy lite at its finest. The word building, though lacking some details, is highly creative and inventive. The setting is different from the usual high fantasy setting and I thought the inclusion of racial issues and colonial references is a nice touch. It great 4.5 stars

I still haven't found a 5 star worthy book for this year, but I thought this was really close; in fact, I might round up to 5 if I dwell on the positive aspects of this book. I'm gonna make a bold claim by saying that this is fantasy lite at its finest. The word building, though lacking some details, is highly creative and inventive. The setting is different from the usual high fantasy setting and I thought the inclusion of racial issues and colonial references is a nice touch. It greatly enhanced the plot and added more layers to it despite being a light fantasy novel at its core.

Besides the awesome characters, I'd like to take this moment to praise the witty and adorable banter between Jessamin and Finn. It's really fun and romantic (in a good way). The romance is done extremely well and in fact, it feels like a Stephanie Perkins romance. Imagine Anna and the French Kiss or Lola and the Boy Next Door and turn it into fantasy. This is exactly that book. Finn also reminds me of Cricket from Lola in a way, because they're the kind of goody two shoes guy who respects and loves their romantic interest deeply (in that emotional way that makes them the opposite of the bad boy characters in YA which most female readers adore). In fact, Finn was very hesitant in making his move because of his kind and unassuming nature as seen in this part of the book:

"As soon as my lips find his, he backs away, nearly falling off his chair.

'I didn't make you do that!'

His eyes are wide with panic.

'Please believe me, I really have not been using any charm, spells, and I would never take advantage of you' "

Jessamin is also an amazing character and I like her dauntless personality. These two individuals are simply charming and charismatic in their own way and that makes their romance worth caring for. The secondary cast is also amazing especially Eleanor. She is one of my favorites because of the funny moments she adds to the entire narrative.

For the criticisms, I think the ending was a little rushed and wrapped too neatly. This has been noted in most reviews, but thankfully it wasn't a big issue for me because the characters are just too good. I would've also liked the conflict and plot to be more complex. It was too straight-forward which is a usual criticism for fantasy lite. There's also the concept of magic. I thought it would be utilized to its best and would strengthen the story by peppering the book with pulse-pounding magical fight scenes. I admit, I expected something more from its inclusion since the use of magic in this book is very limited. But then again, these nit-picks don't really matter that much. This book is fun, enjoyable and highly compelling. What more can I ask for in a fantasy lite novel? ...more

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Jul 17, 2014 Ceilidh rated it it was ok · review of another edition

It’s disappointing to see a novel that displayed as much potential as Illusions of Fate stumble over so many hurdles towards its fizzling ending. The book reaches out to readers yet repeatedly pulls back, offering moments of wit and spark amidst a rushed and underdeveloped concept that seems so unsure of itself. While it’s a quick read and never a slog, it sits comfortably in that middling spot, never quite striving for more.

Read my full review at Bibliodaze.

http://bibliodaze.com/2014/07/illusio ...more

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Feb 17, 2014 Kassidy rated it liked it · review of another edition

*3.5*

This is an entertaining fantasy read, with a historical feel. I really like the main character, she is interesting and different. The magic aspect of this book is really cool. I also like the political undertones that are thrown in.
I wish I could give it a higher rating, but it just wasn't GREAT for me. I liked it well enough, and there aren't any glaring faults, but it's just not very memorable. ...more

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Jan 05, 2014 Alyssa rated it really liked it

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic youn ...more

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Sep 23, 2014 Kylee rated it really liked it

The book starts with Jessamin, a young lady from the island of Melei has moved to Albion, to study in a college and avoid the hordes of eligible husbands her mother keeps flinging at her. One day she runs into a handsome young man who saves her from being assaulted, even though she could have taken care of it herself. Unfortunately for her, Finn, the handsome young man previously mentioned, falls madly in love with her, dragging her in the middle of a political war involving magic.

I really enjoy The book starts with Jessamin, a young lady from the island of Melei has moved to Albion, to study in a college and avoid the hordes of eligible husbands her mother keeps flinging at her. One day she runs into a handsome young man who saves her from being assaulted, even though she could have taken care of it herself. Unfortunately for her, Finn, the handsome young man previously mentioned, falls madly in love with her, dragging her in the middle of a political war involving magic.

I really enjoyed Jessamin as a character. She was brave and smart, and I really liked that she was pretty capable of taking care of herself and working her way out of tough situations without always needing to be rescued like a damsel in distress. Also, she was super stubborn which is something I can always respect in a lady. I wish that her cultural differences had been addressed a little more, but her mother made sure she was raised like a proper young lady from Albion. Which I couldn’t help but feel was the author’s excuse to make her exotic and different, but not too different, if you know what I mean. And it was nice to see a girl who is normal for once, but then takes it upon herself to learn all she can, so she can fend for herself or feel like she wasn’t at such a disadvantage.

Finn was also a really fun character. While his back story was a little lacking and predictable, I could his personality to be strong enough that he was likable and memorable. I also really liked that he wasn’t too proud or stubborn to let the women around him help him out in the way that they could. I like that he recognized their strengths and didn’t try to keep them in the dark. Also, his sly personality was so fun, I found myself constantly laughing at him getting Jessamin all riled up with some charming, witty banter.

While I was a little alarmed at first with Finn falling madly in love with Jessamin after just meeting her then giving her his shadow, she was very opposed to the whole thing which made the relationship feel more realistic. A lot of time went by in this book, time for them to study and work together, to get to know each other, a reasonable amount of time for them to fall in love, and I was so happy. Also, they worked so well together and respected each other, but were still flirty and playful, so there was passion but also a good foundation for a lasting relationship. It felt realistic and cohesive, not forced at all, which was rather refreshing. When I’m reading a book and finally get in far enough to realize that there was no love triangle or insta-love situation, I have to let out a huge sigh of relief.

My main problem with this book, however, was the villain. Lord Downpike was very sinister through the whole book, obviously not above getting his hands dirty. He was constantly plotting and scheming, wiggling his way out of situations or turning them to his advantage, and I found him intriguing. So I was waiting the whole book for the big reveal, the true reason for him being so evil, or the back story to show us why he was the way he was. But when the time came, it was very disappointing and rushed. I just kind of sat there for a second and was like, “Really? I mean, really?!”

The plot itself was very engaging and I liked the world this story took place in. Since the book was under 300 pages long, some aspects were obviously a little lacking, but the political and magic parts were fairly well explained and interesting. Also, the pacing was great. Right when you felt like things were maybe calming down, the author lured you into a false sense of security, only to throw something new at you and suck you back in. I love it when I’m reading and being kept on my toes, knowing something is coming up but not sure when or what it’s going to be. Between Lord Downpike trying to basically take over the world, and the sweet romance between Finn and Jessamin, I couldn’t put it down.

Overall, I heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book but I was pleasantly surprised. I flew through this book, unable to put it down for a minute without thinking about the characters or wondering what was going to happen next. And that ending, holy crap, that ending… it got me. Curse you Kiersten White, curse you. I was just as surprised to see that this was only one book. With all the world-building and great chracters, it felt like there was so much potential to have these be a series, but I guess not. I find that I’m rather disappointed. ...more

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Aug 09, 2014 Kristy (Book Nerd Reviews) rated it it was amazing

Illusions of Fate may well be my favourite Kiersten White book to date. This beautifully written story is captivating, thrilling and intriguing. Coupled with a lush setting, and brilliant characters this is one book not to be missed!

Jessamin leaves her island home to move Albion to further her studies. And it is not an easy place for her to be. Jessamin is darker skinned, poor and from Melei, and none of these things are a good thing according to the wealthy, privileged, and mostly elitist socie ...more

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Mar 11, 2014 Alicia Batista (Addicted Readers) rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, r2r, review-copy, fantasy, magic, arc-paperback, arc-own, print-arc-owned, arc-read, romance

4 Stars

ILLUSIONS OF FATE is a magically enchanting, highly emotional, and beautifully written. With a spiraling world of ups and downs, that will have you swaying with the need for more.

With it's highly complex characters, to it's richly dramatic world, and it's sweeping magical undertow, it's made for a thrilling adventure that will keep you on your toes until the very end.

I was hooked from the beginning of ILLUSIONS OF FATE . It was something about this book that instantly drew me in. ...more

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Sep 16, 2014 Julia rated it really liked it

Recommended to Julia by: Lana

Shelves: read-in-english, own, booktubeathon2015, 2015, young-adult, awesome-heroine, fantasy, standalone

I read this book as a part of BookTubeAThon 2015:
3. Read someone else's favourite book

Fantasy isn't my genre. I'm not a big fan of all this magic-related-stuff. And I didn't have high expectations, when it came to this book ~~(let's be honest, I rarely do have them)~~. And if I saw this book and knew no one of my friends read it, I wouldn't even pick it up. But I'm glad I did. Especially without reading the synopsis.

Illusions of Fate is one of those really fast paced books: you can't put it down. Ea I read this book as a part of BookTubeAThon 2015:
3. Read someone else's favourite book

Fantasy isn't my genre. I'm not a big fan of all this magic-related-stuff. And I didn't have high expectations, when it came to this book ~~(let's be honest, I rarely do have them)~~. And if I saw this book and knew no one of my friends read it, I wouldn't even pick it up. But I'm glad I did. Especially without reading the synopsis.

Illusions of Fate is one of those really fast paced books: you can't put it down. Each chapter is packed with action and the endings of them make you want to find more, so if you don't have enough time to finish this book in one ~~or two~~ sitting, don't pick it up. Save it for later. You'll definitely suffer without knowing what comes next. The only thing that I didn't really like, was a messy and hasty ending.

Illusions of Fate is one of those books with strong female protagonists: they don't whine, nor they act thoughtlessly, nor they do nothing at all. I loved Jessamin from the very first chapter. Trust me, this girl can stand up for herself. She's smart, strong, witty. And most of all, she's real. She has a lot of issues in this cold and gray world of Albion even before being involved in the world of magic and politics, so she doesn't immediately fall in love with the first man who helped her, yet she can act recklessly.

Illusions of Fate is one of those books with strong runner-up characters: and I'm talking about Eleanor. Oh, Eleanor. I really enjoyed her voice in this story, don't let her fool you with her light-mindedness, she's so much more than this.

Illusions of Fate is one of those books with amazing male characters: they aren't all that bossy, nor are they only pretty and brainless, nor are they boring. For me Finn still is a riddle. In one chapter he's a total mystery, in the other — Mad Hatter, in the other — Mr. Darcy. He has so many sides that you can't help but love him.

Illusions of Fate is one of those books that make you give fantasy books a try. Or maybe it's just me ;) ...more

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Jan 31, 2015 Kierstan rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, all-the-swoons, kick-ass-ladies, book-boyfriends

This book is so stinking cute. Like really, so cute.

This is my first Kiersten White book. I knew that I wanted to give one of her books a try, after reading her short story in My True Love Gave To Me. Now I want to go out and purchase the rest of her books, because this was just so adorable.

This was a nice quick read. It combines all of my favorite YA elements. Important friendship, sense of self and determination, throw in a little magic, and an adorable romance. You have a true winner. This b This book is so stinking cute. Like really, so cute.

This is my first Kiersten White book. I knew that I wanted to give one of her books a try, after reading her short story in My True Love Gave To Me. Now I want to go out and purchase the rest of her books, because this was just so adorable.

This was a nice quick read. It combines all of my favorite YA elements. Important friendship, sense of self and determination, throw in a little magic, and an adorable romance. You have a true winner. This book had the perfect amount of conflict to keep the story interesting, yet not overdone. Although the book is only 250 pages, you get a great sense of the characters and their development. Every person introduced had a vital role in the story, there was no wasted dialogue or filler. Which always leaves me feeling satisfied when the book is over. No matter how long it is.

I love the fact that even though this was a short book, I got a great sense of the world they are living in. Royal blood lines with the ability to do magic. Trying to force the common people into a war they are unaware of. One girl who is resistant to the charms of magic, getting swept up in this secret world. Doing the best she can to save her village from this magic war. Her gentrification and how it effects her and those around her. Never quite fitting in, even though she has the same education and upbringing of any lady. It was just all so perfectly done.

I'm just still so impressed by the punch this little book packs. It's fluffy, but with the perfect amount of suspense to keep you interested in more than just the romance of the main characters. The great thing about the romance between them, is the conflict doesn't arise between the two of them. It lies outside their relationship, which makes me love the story even more. If there is one thing I despise, it's a romance, where the only thing propelling the story forward is their conflict with each other. So I'm so thankful I found this book!

I just need to get the rest of her books now and binge. ...more

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Apr 26, 2014 Jilly rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I almost DNFed this book. It has a slow and rocky start. But, I stuck with it and it paid off because I got to meet Eleanor. I want her to be my BFF. She is hilarious and awesome. Definitely the best character in this book.

And, since the story is pretty weak and rambling, it really is all about the characters.

Jessamin, the main character in this book is one of those characters that will drive you crazy. Constantly doing the wrong thing, super caught up in her pride, and not seeing things that a ...more

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Oct 26, 2015 Madison rated it liked it

Shelves: christmas-2015-haul, plot-twists, i-want-to-be-in-this-world, i-need-this-character-as-a-bff, books-i-own

Ok wow.. what to say.. what to say..

Well I did enjoy this book a lot, it was a lot of fun and it made me a bit emotional at times but most of the time I just wanted the book to finish. It wasn't boring but it just felt so.. I don't know. I felt like this story had no personality to it, it felt bland even though it wasn't. The plot, characters and world were cool as hell so I don't know why I felt the way I'm feeling about it.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a nice, fun read!

...more

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Sep 09, 2014 E.V. Fairfall rated it really liked it

Super fun book! We found Kiersten White through her short story in "My True Love Gave to Me" and will continue to read her work. ...more

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Sep 25, 2014 shady boots rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015-faves, covergasm

I liked this! Very different for Kiersten White, and different in a good way. I had fun.

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Aug 05, 2015 rin rated it really liked it

Shelves: standalone, 2016, eng, better-than-expected, favourite-male-character

I can't say that I loved the book but I certainly liked it.
The plot is fast paced and interesting, the plot twist is unexpected (even though I didn't trust the guy), the book has few plot holes, but overall I enjoyed it.
I liked the romance and the portrayal of the friendship. My favorite character is not Jessamin the MC, but she's pretty OK (even though I was annoyed at her at some moments). Finn is cute, I adored him a lot. (And loved him from the very beginning, guys named Finn are love by def ...more

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Jun 30, 2014 Rashika (is tired) rated it liked it

Shelves: brain-candy, decent-female-leads, read-2014, decent-romance, would-have-blown-my-mind-but, e-arcs, ya, paranormal, pnr-magic

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

Illusions of Fate is a book that would have completely won me over pre-blogging, but now, not so much. I still had a lot of fun reading it but the problem is that I am somewhat of a critic; I now notice things that might have completely escaped my attention before I became a blogger and that’s why I didn’t love this book.

For starters, the characters were all great from a glance but if you dig deeper… there weren't much. Jessamin herself som ...more

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Sep 25, 2014 Books are TARDIS rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: friendship-is-the-best-ship, fantasy, big-face-we-meet-again, page-turner, paranormal, headless-body-cover-division, feeeels, fluff-fluff-fluff, all-the-stars, spooky

Originally Read: 20, October 2014
Re-Read: 26 December, 2016

Whip-smart and opinionated leading lady. Swoon-worthy love interest. Magical rivalries. Sharp and witty repartee. Likeable friendships. Diversity. Undercurrent of race and colonialism issues. Pretty much crosses every square on my fantasy-romance bingo. It was an instant fave years ago, and didn't disappoint on the re-read.

“Well then. You have all the grace and manners of nobility, not to mention clothes that cost more than our server’s ...more

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Around the Year i...: Illusions of Fate, by Kiersten White	1	15	Mar 31, 2016 07:02AM
Reading Addicts: July-Other Genre BOTM-Illusions of Fate	13	12	Jul 12, 2015 09:21AM
Book Talk: Illusions of Fate	41	11	May 29, 2015 05:53PM
Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish	1	3	May 25, 2015 10:57AM
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YA Buddy Readers'...: Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White - Restarting April 18th 2015	33	61	Apr 21, 2015 05:22AM
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About Kiersten White

Kiersten White

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Kiersten White is the New York Times bestselling author of many books for teens and young readers, including And I Darken, Now I Rise, Bright We Burn, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, and Slayer. She lives with her family near the ocean in San Diego, where she perpetually lurks in the shadows. Visit Kiersten online at KierstenWhite.com and follow @KierstenWhite on Twitter.

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“Shadows go in front of you, leading into your future, and trail behind you, leaving a part of you in the past. They are clearest when we are in the light, and disappear when we lose ourselves in darkness.” — 40 likes

“I'm saving your life!"
"You were ready to give in! I saved my own life. You are simply keeping me company on this leg of my escape.” — 22 likes

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